City steps toward new sales tax

As one sales tax nears its halfway point, the city of Cloquet is banking on residents approving a new one in November 2022 that would pay for improvements to the hockey arenas and Pine Valley park.

It’s been almost nine years since the city’s first sales tax was passed, with 63 percent of voters approving the half-cent tax. Collection of monies for that sales tax will sunset after raising either $16.5 million or 30 years, whichever comes first.

Finance director Nancy Klassen said Tuesday the city collected $1.1 million from sales tax funds in 2020, for a total of $7.56 million since it began.

On Tuesday, the Cloquet City Council took the formal step of passing a resolution related to the Legislature’s laws allowing the city to seek voter approval of a new local option sales tax for up to $8.15 million. That figure includes $6,025,500 for Northwoods Credit Union Arena and $2,124,700 for improvements to the Pine Valley park, including ski jump repairs, parking and lighting improvements and chalet replacement.Residents will vote on the sales tax request in the general election in November 2022.

Also Tuesday, the council voted to award the Wilderness Hockey team a $20,000 grant from its American Rescue funds. The council packet included a 35-page guide to coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds and what they can be used for.

Check back next week for more on the recent audit.